How to find the IP address of a Ricoh copier or printer

Almost every connected device on a TCP/IP network has its own IP address, which other devices and computers use to locate that device and communicate with it.  If you have a Ricoh multifunctional copier or printer set up on your network and you need to find its IP address, this article will show you how to do that.

There are many different models of copiers and printers in the Ricoh product family.  Generally, the easiest way to find a Ricoh machine's IP address is to print out a configuration page, which lists relevant network settings, including the IP address.  On most Ricoh copiers, you can print a configuration page by pressing the User Tools button on the operation panel, selecting Printer Features or Printer Settings, and looking for an option such as "Print Config Page" or "Print Config List."

Copier IP addresses can also be displayed on screen.  On many current models, such as the C5000, go into User Tools and navigate to System Settings > Interface Settings > Machine IPv4 Address.  Older copiers will display the address as well, but the path to find it might be slightly different.  It will always be located somewhere under System Settings.

Many of the newer copier models also have a tab at the bottom of the main Copy screen labeled "System Status."  If you touch this tab, you'll be shown many details about the copier's current status, including the amount of toner remaining, the hard drive space available, and of course, the IP address.

On a Ricoh printer (either black and white or color) you don't have the same size operation panel that you do with a copier, so it can be harder to navigate through the menus.   Like with the copiers, however, the IP address will be printed on the config page, so you can just print that out -- press the Menu button, and go to "List/Test Print" and then "Config Page."  The IP address can also be displayed on screen by pressing the Menu button and then following the path of Host Interface, Network, Machine IPv4 Address, and finally IP Address.  If you view the IP address this way, be sure to exit out of the network settings without making any accidental changes.

If for some reason you can't get the IP address from the machine itself, you might be able to find it from a computer connected to the same network.  If you are running Windows Vista, you can use the Network Map to try to look up the copier's IP address.  All connected devices should be shown on the Network Map -- if you can locate the copier, hover over it with the mouse and you might be rewarded with its IP address.  (For instructions on how to access the network map in Windows Vista, click here.  For instructions on how to access the network map in Windows 7, click here.)

On a computer that's set up to print to the Ricoh printer, you can often find the printer's IP address in the print driver properties.  Right click on the printer icon under Devices & Printers (or Printers and Faxes, in Windows XP) and select Printer Properties (or in XP, just Properties).  Under the Ports tab, if the printer is set up to print using its IP address, you may see the IP address listed as the port name, or part of the port name.

(Originally published on Helium.com, April 2010)